Projectile



' shell making, as well as absolute uniformity- BAYARD E. TAYLOR, F PARK, ILLINOIS;

PROJECTILE.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Mal'. 30, 1920.

Application led July 9. 1917. Serial No. 179,316.

To all whom. it may concern.'

Be it known that 1, BAYARD E. TAYLOR, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the town of OakPark, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois. have invented certain new 'and useful Improvements in Projectiles; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings. and to the numeralsof reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in a projectile or shell for high power riies or mortars.

In modern warfare routing of the enemy when once fully intrenched, is almost impossible and can now only be accomplished by the use of riied cannon of thelargest and highest power, firing shells at high trajectory from a great distance in order to secure a nearly perpendicular flight to the earth. It follows that Ithe penetration of a projectile so fired is almost wholly due to gravitational momentum, the energy imparted to it by the explosion of the firing charge, having been nearly exhausted.. Yet even so, greater penetration and damage is effected than in the case when fired at close .range with little or no elevation causing the shell to strike at a low angle.

Furthermore, effectiveness can only be s ecured' by the utmost precision in gun and in the power of the explosive used, which means a vast expenditure of money and time as `the oliicial4 reports.' disclose.

By the law of falling bodies we know that from a height of four thousand feet-a velocity of approximately five hundred feet per second is attained. If, therefore, the body weighs six hundred pounds its kinetic force may be said to be three hundred thousand foot pounds. VTo this energy I purpose to add in the line of projection and penetration, the force of a booster charge of explosive, fired toincrease the momentum of the projectile at the moment the .earth is reached, therebjY increasing 4the velocity of the projectile and adding greatly .to the depth into the earth' to which the shelll is projected before the explosive charge contained therein is ignited.

It is an object of this invention to provide n other part of the projectile has been forced into the earth by the force of the first explosion.

It is an object of this invention to provide a projectile or shell containing a plurality of explosives, one to explode as the projectile strikes the earth which is adapted to shatter the surrounding surface and which also gives force tothe projectile to deeply embed the same after which a timed mechanism explodes thelhigh explosives in the forward end of the projectile.

It is further an object of this invention to construct a projectile or shell provided with a cushioning device seated in the end thereof to take the force of the firing charge thereagainst which is also adapted to unfurl and stream from the end of the rojectile during its flight to insure its striklng on its conical end.

It is further an object of this invention .to

provide a projectile or shell-of the class described in which the booster charge is ig- `nited by the project-ile striking the earth which in turn ignites a slow burningsubstance which explodes the high explosives in the projectile after the projectile has penetrated deeply into the earth. -1

It is further an object of this invention to construct a projectile or shell in which a plurality of means are provided for explod-` ing the secondary7 -high explosive so that if one fails the other one is caused to ignite the slow burning mixture.

It is further an object of this invention .to provide a detachable striker or nose for the projectile or shell vwhich inshipment is detached therefrom thereby obviating the ossibility of accidental discharge and which 1s adapted to be quickly threaded into the plunger before inserting into thel mortar. Y The invention (in a preferred form) is hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the drawing, ,specification and ap; pended claims. i

VOn the drawings:

Figure l i's a vertical longitudinal section l 105 Fig. 2 is a view thereof after the primary of a shell embodying my invention.

`explosion' showing the part containing the lFig. 4 ,is a rear end elevation of the shell showing the tape orwebbing wound therein.

Fig. 5 illustrates ya. modified form of nose.

Fig. 6 is an end view of the inner cap.

Fig. 7 is an end view of the striker for the cap.

Fig; 8 isa section taken through the stem and detonating charge for the high explo sive chamber.

Fig. 9 is a detail of the method of attaching the concussion and stabilizing webbing.

As shown in the drawings:

All parts of the projectile or shell are constructed of suitable materia-l and 1 indicates the forward casing or section which is uniformly tapered toward the point and shown in Fig. 1, as cut square off to form a square end and in Fig. 5, as tapered.to a point.

This casing or section l, has a chamber 2,

j therein, into which is placed a very high eX- lplosive as, for instance, lyddite, and at its rear end is provided with van internally threaded iange 3, having a bore therethrough. Threaded into said flange 3, is a plug or core 4, having an enlarged forward chamber 5, and an axial passageextending therefrom through, the plug. Said plu is shown as rounded in outline on its rear ace to permit the greatest amount of explosive being inserted in the rear chamber.

A rear section or casing 6, is secured to the plug 4, by means of very light threads which are so constructed as to permit the force of the explosion tearing the rear section 6, from the forward section or casing 1. As shown, this cylinder or .casing 6, is provided with a `large chamber to contain -a less active explosive and the outer or rear end is provided with a large recessA into which projects a boss 8, taped and threaded to receive an attachingdevice for the concussion and stabilizing webbing or tape. As shown, for this purpose. a stem 9, is threaded into the boss" provided with a. circular head or disk 10,v

which` is slottedfas shown in Fig. 9, to Ihave the end of the webbing or tape'passed therethrough and attached. In the present construction tivo webbings or tapes 11, are used which are tightly wound around and around the boss so that the entirerwad snugly fits -into the recess.

' A The retracted or forward end-of the shell ,casing 1, has anjjaxial bore opening through the nose and fitted therein is a plunger 13,

I having an intern-ally threaded recess in its i v forward endadapted to have the nose o r "-ji striking point 14, detachably threaded therein. plunger is normally held in place which is threaded into the by a pin 15, of metaland the rear end 0f- Secured to the cup 16,v by means of a pin 27, is a tube or stem 18, provided with apertures 19, opening into the chamber 2, and said stem projects rearwardly through the axial passage in the plug 4, and has threaded thereon an apertured cup or cap 20. Fitted around the cap 20, is an aperture cup 21,

cussion cap 22, is secured in the cup 21.A

plug 4, and a per- Secured centrally in the tube 18, at the apertures 19, is a detonating'charge 23, of any suitable material and extending therefrom toward and nearly to the ends of the tube are slow burning mixtures 24 and25, which may be in the plastic form or any suitable fuse.

In Fig. 5, a striking pin 26, is threaded into the plunger 13, w lich permits the for- .ward end ofv the shell to be brought topa point.

The operation is as follows:

'.lhe striking pin or nose 26-14,` is

screwed into the plunger and the/shell loaded into the breach-of the mortar by means of a. hoist as is usual.

When the gun is fired the shock of the firing charge is directed largely against the concussion member or webbing which prevents `the possibilit-yv of the firing force exploding the contents of the sections and such firing also loosens the webbing -to trail behind t-he shell.

In this class of guns the angle is such that the shell takes a certain flight into the j air and thenl turns point downwardly. The

tails or streamers 11, act to stabilize the shell when turned, to, fall truly with the shell pointed directly downwardly and also ,i

can be observed so as to inform the gunners the exa-ct position at whichV they drop enabling them to find the proper range.

.As the shell strikes the earth' or other obstacle the force of the impact-forces the striker or nose inwardly carryin the plunger 13, therewith, and shearing o pin 15.

vThe plun er carries. the stem 18, therewith, until t e cap 20, strikes the percussion cap' 22, which explodes the charge in the chamber in section Lor casing- 6. The ex losion occurring at the time the'shell strikes the earth gives added force to the forward end of thershellprojecting the-saine with increased velocity :to penetra-te 'deeply .into

which ignites the slow burning material 25,

which is so timed las to re the detonating 'charge 23,' as the projectile reaches its exl is forced ahead which shears the pin'27,

deeply into the earth and mechanism ope permitting the front .end of the stem to strike cap 17, which ignites the slow burning material or fuse 24,z which in turn accomplishes the firing of the detonati'ng charge 23.

In any event it is quite certain that the high explosives will be ignited and a plurality of explosions will occur, one to actas a booster charge to drive the projectile into the earth at the time its velocity is ordinarily diminished by contact with the earth.

In effect the improved projectile may be said to be a cannon within a cannon in which one cannoli is ire'd at the time that ordinary shells would -be stopped so that added enet-rating velocity is given to the projectile to penetrate deep trenches and then explode after such deep penetration to the great confusion and disaster of the enemy.

It is also seen that by removing the striker or top 14-26, that the projectile or Shell cannot be fired (unless someone maliciously uses a hammer and drill), las the pins 15 and 27 hold the plunger 13, and stem 18, with its associated parts rigidly in place. However, the force of the impact and of; the explosion shears these pins permitting movement of the parts as described for theV purpose as set forth.

Any metal may be used that is best adapted for the different parts-and any ex-v plosive, detonators or percussion elements may be used and many modifications may bc vmade without departingfrom the principles of this invention. I therefore do'not desire to limit this application for patent otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention: ,p 1. A projectile or shell of the class described comprisinga plurality of explosion chambers, containing explosives, a plurality of pins in said projectile, mechanism for shearing one of said pins for exploding the contents of one of the chambers as the shell strikes the earth to. force the projectile erated by the said explosion for shearing the other of lsaid pins for explodingthe contents of the other chamber after thc projectile has deeply penetrated into the earth. 2. A`Xprojectile or shell of the class de'- scribed comprising a plurality of explosion chambers, containing` explosives, mechanism for exploding the contents of one of thechambers by impact of the projectile against alfobject, mechanism operated by the said explosion for exploding the contents of the- Other chamber, and a concussion member ..secur'ed to the shell adapted to receive the charge ofvvfirlng thereagainst and to stream aftergthe shell for stabilizing the descent of the same and acting as a signal to indicate the point of descent thereof. A

3'. A shell comprising a forward casing for containing high explosives, a rear cas'- ing, a plug connectin rsaid casings, explosives in said casings a apted when exploded to shear the rear casing from the plug and to force forward casing to penetrate deeply into. the earth, and means actuated thereby timed to explode `the charge in the forward chamber after the forward casing has penetrated the earth.

4. A shell containing a primary explosive charge and a secondary explosive charge, mechanism for setting said charges Off by imp:` :t of the shell whereby one charge explodes at the surface of the object contacted and the other charge explodes after the object has been penetrated by the shell, and coiled tapes seated in one end of said shell adapted to first serve as a concussion means and then unfurl to act as a. stabilizer for the shell.

5. A shell containing a primary explosive charge and a secondary exploslve charge, mechanism for setting said charges olf by impact of the shell, and concussion and signal material attached to the shell adapted to absorb shock in firing and to unfurl as the shell is firedto stream or trail behind the shell,

6. A shell comprising la forward casing having an explosive therein,f`a plug secured thereto, a rear casing having an explosive therein attached to the plug and adapted to be torn therefrom byv explosion in the rear casing, a cap in the rear casing, a plunger, a stem carried thereby, a striker carcasingLa cap in the rear casing, a plunger, a

stem carried thereby, a striker carried, by

the. plunger `adaptreil to force. the plunger and stem to explode thecap to thereby fire the explosive in the real casing, slow burning material carried in the stem adapted to be'ignited by the'liring of the rear chamber, a detonator fired `thereby to fire the chargein the forward casing, a cap in the forward casing. said stem adapted to strike and explode the cap, and slow burning material adapted to be fired thereby and to fire the detonator. l

'8. shell comprising a forward casing,

into the rear casing and having apertures therein, a plunger pinned thereto, a pin holding the plunger in. place until struck,

J n nose lsecured to the plunger for actuating the same to shear the pin, a perusjsion Inern ber inthe rear chamber adapted to be ve-X- ploded by the stem, zu peroussion member -at the forward end of the stem, a plurality subseribed my name in the of fuses in the stem, and a detonator between said fuses at the apertures in the stem.

-In testimony whereof I have hereunto 15 presence of two subscribing wtnessesf BAYARD E. TAYLOR.

Witnesses:

CHARLES WV. Huis, Jr., EARL M. HARDINE. 

